1. Students will be able to identify several observations made by Darwin and summarize his theory of evolution by natural selection.
a) Charles Darwin observed that animals on the coast of South America resembled those on the nearby islands.
b) Based on his observations, Darwin concluded that both species evolved differences after separating from a common ancestor.
c) Darwin proposed that natural selection favors individuals that are best able to survive and reproduce. 2. Students will be able to explain how the concept of natural selection acts on phenotype, not the genotype, of an organism.
a) Changes in species are linked to an organism's environmental conditions.
b) Physical changes during a lifetime cannot be passed onto offspring.
c) Each species has accumulated adaptations in response to its particular environment.
d) Adaptations are inherited traits that have become common in a population because the trait provides a selective advantage. 3. Students will be able to contrast the gradualism and punctuated equilibrium models of evolution.
a) Gradualism is a process of evolution in which speciation occurs gradually.
b) Punctuated equilibrium is a process in which speciation occurs rapidly between periods of little or no change. 4. Students will be able to relate the concepts of reproductive/geographic isolation to speciation.
a) Speciation is the process by which new species form.
b) Speciation begins as a population adapts to its environment.
c) Reproductive isolation is the condition in which two populations of the same species do not breed with one another because of geographic separation, a difference in mating periods, or other barrier to reproduction. Therefore, when the individuals of two related populations can no longer breed with one another, the two populations are different species. (Click Here for Video!) 5. Students will be able to describe how the fossil record supports evolution by comparing the anatomy and development of living species.
a) Similarities of structures in different vertebrates provide evidence that all vertebrates share a common ancestor.
b) A vestigial structure is reduced in size because it has no known use. (Click Here for Video!)
c) Homologous structures have the same structure but different function. (Click Here for Video!)
d) Analogous structures have different structures but the same functions. (Click Here for Video!)
a) Charles Darwin observed that animals on the coast of South America resembled those on the nearby islands.
b) Based on his observations, Darwin concluded that both species evolved differences after separating from a common ancestor.
c) Darwin proposed that natural selection favors individuals that are best able to survive and reproduce.
2. Students will be able to explain how the concept of natural selection acts on phenotype, not the genotype, of an organism.
a) Changes in species are linked to an organism's environmental conditions.
b) Physical changes during a lifetime cannot be passed onto offspring.
c) Each species has accumulated adaptations in response to its particular environment.
d) Adaptations are inherited traits that have become common in a population because the trait provides a selective advantage.
3. Students will be able to contrast the gradualism and punctuated equilibrium models of evolution.
a) Gradualism is a process of evolution in which speciation occurs gradually.
b) Punctuated equilibrium is a process in which speciation occurs rapidly between periods of little or no change.
4. Students will be able to relate the concepts of reproductive/geographic isolation to speciation.
a) Speciation is the process by which new species form.
b) Speciation begins as a population adapts to its environment.
c) Reproductive isolation is the condition in which two populations of the same species do not breed with one another because of geographic separation, a difference in mating periods, or other barrier to reproduction. Therefore, when the individuals of two related populations can no longer breed with one another, the two populations are different species. (Click Here for Video!)
5. Students will be able to describe how the fossil record supports evolution by comparing the anatomy and development of living species.
a) Similarities of structures in different vertebrates provide evidence that all vertebrates share a common ancestor.
b) A vestigial structure is reduced in size because it has no known use. (Click Here for Video!)
c) Homologous structures have the same structure but different function. (Click Here for Video!)
d) Analogous structures have different structures but the same functions. (Click Here for Video!)